Performance and reliability are two typical factors in manufacturing a double wipe female contact clip. Performance in the contact clip is measured by the amount of temperature change occurring over the terminal portion of the contact clip from a no load condition to a rated load condition when wired with the proper size conductor. The smaller the temperature change the better the performance of the contact clip. Reliability is determined by the dependability with which the contact clips can be repeatedly manufactured consistently to a set standard in high volume mass production.
Numerous conventional double wipe contact clips have their contact members interconnected by various means such as riveting, staking and welding. Examples of these conventional devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,551,568 to Johnson; 1,925,856 to Vaughan; 2,325,698 to Millermaster et al; 2,771,531 to Streuer; 3,027,440 to Daly; and 3,605,059 to Lipinski et al.
These conventional contact clips suffer from many disadvantages. For example, the quality of the electrical connection of these contact clips depends on secondary operations such as riveting, staking and welding. These secondary operations require proper set up, constant maintenance and monitoring to produce a reliable contact clip from run to run. Even with constant maintenance and monitoring of these secondary operations, many contact clips are produced with faulty connections between the contact members.
When riveting or welding is used to fasten the contact members together, the rivet or weld tends to deform or creep over a long period of time, and thus, results in subsequent failure of the contact members to maintain adequate contact pressure therebetween. When a single rivet or screw is employed to fasten the contact members together, some additional fastener must be provided to prevent rotation of one contact member relative to the other contact member. Also, upon insertion of the male blade between the contact members, the conventional devices do not provide adequate means to prevent separation between the contact members.